Shuttle-feeler.



H, O. SURNS.

SHUTTLE FEELER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 191 r.

1,288,378, Patented n@.17,191s.

:onrrnn snares rarnnir entries.

HARRY O. BURNS, 0F EUFAULA, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPEP. CORPORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

SHUTTLE-FEELER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Application filed September 19, 1917. Serial No. 192,203.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY 0. Burns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eufaula, county of Barbour, and State of Ala bama, have invented an Improvement in Shuttle-Feelers, of which the following de scription, in connection with the accompany ing drawings, is a specification, like charactors on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to shuttle feelers for looms.

In filling replenishing looms, it is desirable that the operation of the replenishing mechanism shall be permitted on a call for replenishment only provided the shuttle has been properly boxed and is consequently in proper position to receive the fresh bobbin or supply of filling. It has therefore been common to provide shuttle feelers which, on call for filling replenishment, were moved to ward the lay from a normal front to a rearward feeling position, and, if the shuttle had not been properly boxed, the shuttle feeler would indicate that fact by contact with the shuttle and be moved frontwardly from its rearward feeling position, thereby through a train of mechanism well under stood by those skilled in the art, suspending the operation of the filling replenishing means.

It will happen at times that the shuttle may not enter the entire box, or the shuttle may get trapped with a portion thereof in front of the shuttle-box. In such case, when the lay makes its forward beatup movement, the shuttle is liable to engage the shuttle feeler while the latter is in its normal front position, and on farther frontward movement of the lay, cause damage to the feeler or parts connected therewith.

An important feature of the present invention consists in means for independently sustaining the shuttle feeler yieldingly in its front position so that should the feeler be struck by the body of the shuttle as the lay heats up, the feeler may yield frontwardly beyond its normal front position and then be returned rearwardly to its front po sition again when the lay goes back.

Other features and objects of the present invention will. hereinafter more fully appear from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings which show one good, practical form of the present invention.

F1gure 1 is a perspective view showing a small portion of the lay, shuttle-box, the shuttle feeler, and a trapped shuttle;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing a loom provided with a shuttle feeler of the present invention, the shuttle feeler being supported in its normal front position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the feeler being struck by the trapped shuttle and displaced front-Wardly thereby on the beatup movement of the lay; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail showing the yielding feeler support.

The loom frame 1 may be of any usual character and have supported thereon the parts of the filling supplying means 2 which in the present instance of the invention, comprises a hopper of usual construction. Pivotally mounted at 3 is the transferrer -l for transferring the filling or bobbin 5 from the hopper to the shuttle when the shuttle is in the box adjacent the replenishing mechanism. Projecting downwardly from the sleeve of the arm 4: is the arm 6 carrying at its lower portion, the pivoted dog 7 which, by a pin 8 and slotted arm 9 is operatively associated with the shuttle feeler 10. The parts so far described may be of any usual or desired construction, and being well known in the art, need no further elucidation.

The lay 11 is sustained upon the usual lay swords 12 and provided with an appropriate shuttle-box 13 for receiving the shuttle at the replenishing side of the loom. Mounted on the loom frame is a shuttle feeler guide 14 which has an inclined slot therein, common in this class of looms, for moving the feeler lengthwise of the lay as the feeler moves toward and from the lay in order to provide the necessary slack thread or filling between the cloth. selvage and feeler when the latter is provided with a thread holder.

The feeler 10 is pivotally mounted at 15, Fig. 2, and is provided with a shoulder 16 which. when the shuttle feeler 10 is in its normal front position, rests upon the lateral arm 17 of a yielding support which, in the present instance of the invention consists of a pin 18 properly sustained by a bracket 19 secured to the loom frame 1 frontwardly of and below the feeler. In the present instance of the invention the bracket 19 is provided with the lateral lugs 20 through which'the pin 18 extends, and the bracket is preferably secured to the loom frame by screws or convenient securing means 21. lhe pin 18 has secured to it a collar 22 below the upper lug 20, and between the collar 22 and the lower lug 20 the pin is surrounded by a coil spring :23, the lower end portion of which rests upon the lug 20, the construction being such that while the pin is normally held in its raised or supporting position, it may yield under a forward impulse imparted to the top portion of the feeler and permit the feeler to move frontw'ardly of its normal front position. When the disturbing cause, such as a trapped shuttle is removed from the pressure against the upper end of the shuttle feeler, the spring will yield ingly force the supporting pin 18 upwardly against the shoulder 16 of the feeler and return to its normal front position.

In order that the pin 18 may not throw the feeler too far rearwardly, the lower end portion of the pin is provided with stop 2 1-.

From the construction described, it will be apparent that should the shuttle Fig. 1, be trapped outside of the shuttle-box on beatup movement of the lay, the wall of the shuttle will strike the upper portion 26 of the feeler and by continued movement of the lay frontwardly, will force the feelc'r farther to the front about its pivotal mounting 15, thereby depressing the yielding sup porting pin .18 without causing damage or breakage either to the feeler or toparts connected therewith. On the backward movement of the lay, or the removal of the shuttle from its trapped position, the yielding supporting pin 18 will more upwardly under the tension of its actuating spring 23 and move the feeler into its normal front position.

hat is claimed is 1. In a loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-box, a shuttle feeler mounted for movement toward and from the lay to determine if the shuttle is properly boxed, said feeler having a shouldered portion, and a yielding support mounted on the loom frame to be engaged by the shoulder of the feeler when in front position and permit the feeler to be moved frontwardly by a trapped shuttle when the feeler is in normal front position.

9. In a loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-box, a shuttle feeler provided with a. shouldered portion and mounted for movement toward and from the lay to determine if the shuttle is properly boxed, a feele'r supporting pin on which the shoulder of the feeler rests to support the feeler in its normal front position, and a spring normally acting to project the pin upwardly and yieldable to permit the pin to be depressed when the feeler is forced frontwardly of its normal front position by a trapped shuttle.

3. In a loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle'box, a shuttle feeler mounted for movement toward and from the lay and longitudinally thereof, a pin having a feeler supporting portion extending transversely of the feeler to support the feeler when in normal front position, a spring acting on the pin to yieldingly sustain it in feeler-supporting position and permit the pin to be displaced by the feeler when the feeler in its normal front position is struck by a trapped shuttle.

4. In a loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-box, a shuttle feeler having a shoulder, a pin adapted to engage the shoulder of the feeler and sustain the feeler in its normal front position, a bracket in which said shuttle feeler supporting pin is movable, a spring for moving the pin yieldingly to its shuttle feeler supporting position, and a stop to limit the movement of the pin.

5. In a loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-box, shuttle feeler mounted for movement toward and from the lay to determine if the shuttle is properly boxed,

means operatively associated with and for so moving the feeler, a yielding support for the feeler independent of the moving means and mounted on the loom frame to be on gaged by the feeler when in front position and permitting movement of the feeler frontwardly of its front position by a trapped shuttle.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY o. BURNS.

lattice of patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents.

Washington, 3). c. 

